Monday, August 21, the United States experienced a total solar eclipse for the first time in nearly a century. The moon’s shadow fell on a 71-mile-wide path, stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, and put over 12.2 million people in partial or total darkness. Luckily, Little Rock was positioned to view The Great American Solar Eclipse, as the event has been nick-named, at 90% totality.
Before the school year began, CAC administrators began planning for students to experience the natural phenomenon together. Scheduling arrangements were made, special eclipse-viewing glasses ordered and snacks bought. The excitement was palpable that Monday morning. Faculty and staff were giddy and students could be heard singing varying renditions of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in the hallways. No one seemed to mind that they only knew the chorus – everyone sang at the top of their lungs through big, goofy grins.
Each person was given a pair of eclipse-viewing glasses as they stepped outside. For the next hour, jaws dropped and exclamations full of wonder rose across the student body. The sight was truly something to behold, and the students saw first-hand the marriage of God’s intelligent design and our ever-expanding knowledge of science.
